Heel guard for shoes



March 28,1950 D, MWH 2,502,237

HEEL GUARD FOR SHOES Filed Jan. 27, 1947 INVENTOR. /a vww i. J/77/ i/fa/waa i atented Mar. 2.8, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE HEEL GUARD FOE SHOES Wallace D. Smith, Lakeland, Fla.

Application January 27, 1947, Serial No. 724,547

3 Claims. (01. 36-40) This invention relates to improvements in a heel guard for shoes.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a heel guard which may be applied to the heel of a shoe and effectively retained thereon and when removed is compact and can be carried in a pocket or handbag.

Second, to provide a heel guard which may be applied to and is effectively retained on shoe heels of widely varying sizes and shapes.

Third, to provide a heel guard which may be formed of sheet rubber or rubber tubing or a combination thereof very inexpensively and is not objectionable in appearance when applied to a shoe.

Further objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a shoe having a desirable embodiment of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 22 f Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the heel guard of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 removed from the heel.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form or embodiment of my invention formed of sheet rubber.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a shoe with the guard of Fig. '4.- applied thereto.

Fig. 6 is a rear View of another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a shoe heel with the guard Of Fig. 6 applied thereto, the guard wing being shown in extended or operative position by full lines and in collapsed position by dotted lines.

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of another embodiment or adaptation of my invention.

In the accompanying drawing the shoe l is provided with a conventional type of heel 2. The heel 3 of Fig. 5 is more slender and of a different shape. The heel 4 of Fig. 7 is approximately of the shape of the heel 2. This varying shape of heels are shown to illustrate the adaptability of my guard to heels of varying shapes.

Each of the embodiments of my invention comprises an elastic or stretchable heel band adapted to stretchably embrace the heel of a shoe and to be retained thereon by the gripping or clutching action resulting from stretching the band. Either natural or synthetic rubber may be used. In the embodiment of m invention as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the guard comprises the heel embracing band portion 5 having a wing-like extension 6 on the rear segment thereof, the upper edge 7 of the rear segment of the band being downwardly inclined relative to the upper edge 8 of the forward or front segment of the band. The extension 6 desirably has a serrated edge throughout a major portion thereof providing drip points 9. When the guard is stretchably applied to a heel as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the wing portion thereof flanges outwardly and downwardly as is illustrated, this resulting from the stretching gripping action of the band with the curved forwardly inclined rear portion of the heel which is common to practically all ladies shoes. The mere stretching of the band, however, tends to flange the guard wing outwardly. The rubber or elastic band has such gripping action with the shoe heel that the band is retained thereon very efficiently and at the same time can be readily removed.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the guard designated generally by the numeral it! is formed of a flat sheet of rubber stock and is in the form of a circular disk before application to a shoe heel. The heel receiving 'hole H is disposed eccentrically providing a relatively narrow front band segment 52 and a rear segment I3 of substantially greater width and constituting a guard wing which when the guard is applied to a shoe heel as is shown in Fig. 5 assumes an outwardly flaring position as shown therein. In applying to the heel the band is very materially stretched and the band portion is arranged to embrace the heel flat-wise as shown. As a matter of fact with the band stretched to engage the heel, the flexibility of the guard is such that it will not merely stand out in a lat eral position on the heel but the band portion assumes a flat gripping position as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and '7 the band M is of increasing width from the front segment thereof to the rear providing a relatively Wide rear segment IE to which the wing-like guard member It is secured by a suitable cementing or vulcanizing action. The guard member I6 is crescent shaped and a, portion l8 thereof adjacent its inner edge I9 is laid flat on the band and secured thereto leaving a free wing portion which may be laid against the rear of the heel as indicated by the dotted lines I! in Fig. 7 or 3 turned to downwardly flaring guard position as shown by full lines.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 the guard wing 20 is integrally formed with a band, its edges 21 bein partially slit therefrom and the tab-like portions 22 resulting in being disposed upon and fixedly secured to the outer side of the band by suitable cement or vulcanizing. Thus formed, the guard Wing at all times maintains a flaring position relative to the band and it is effectively held in that position when the band is applied to a shoe heel.

I have illustrated and described these various adaptations or embodiments of my invention, all of which are practical and efiicient. The embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 4 and 5 are, however, more economical to produce as an embodiment of Fig. 1 may be formed from a rubber tubing of the desired diameter and the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 may be formed of flat sheet rubber stock. While the embodiment of Fig. 8 is formed of rubber tubing additional Work is required in securing the tab portions 22 of the guard wing to the band. In the embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7 the guard wing is formed separately of the band and applied thereto. As stated the guards may be formed of natural rubber compositions or of synthetic rubbers. It is believed that the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to adapt or embody my invention as may be desired.

I have used the term shoes and shoe heels in the specification in a broad sense and it will be understood that the guard may be applied to the heels of rubbers, overshoes or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A guard for shoe heels comprising an elastic heel encircling band adapted to retainingly embrace a shoe heel, the band being of increas ing width toward the rear thereof and having a segmental wing-like guard extending from its lower edge at the rear thereof, the ends of the guard being severed from the lower edge of the band and the severed edges of the guard disposed diagonally upwardly of the outer sides of the band and fixedly secured thereto whereby the guard is maintained in a downwardly flared relation to the band when the band is applied to a shoe heel.

2. A guard for shoe heels comprising an elastic heel encircling band adapted to retainingly embrace a shoe heel and having a segmental winglike guard at the rear thereof, the ends of the guard being severed from the lower edge of the band and the severed edges of the guard disposed diagonally upwardly on the outer sides of the band and fixedly secured thereto whereby the guard is maintained in a downwardly flared relation to the band when the band is applied to a shoe heel.

3. A splash guard for shoe heels comprising an elastic heel encircling band, and a guard of fiat flexible material having a rounded outer contour extending from one edge of the rear of the band, the guard normally projecting upwardly in close contact with the heel of the shoe to which the guard is applied, the guard having the end portions on its inner edge secured transversely across said band and being turnable downwardly to guard position in a rearwardly flared relation to the band.

WALLACE D. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,700,499 Huntington Jan. 29, 1929 1,792,138 Bollert Feb. 10, 1931 1,820,095 Smith Aug. 25, 1931 1,961,267 Vogt June 5, 1934 2,039,954 Fricker May 5, 1936 2,292,466 Norlin Aug. 11, 1942 2,416,944 Norlin Mar. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 284,055 Great Britain Jan. 26, 1928 327,317 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1930 

